Hat-fastener.



PATENTED MAY 5, 1903.

J. w. EDGERTON. HAT FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 19, 1902.

no MODEL.

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UNITE STATES Patented May 5, 1903.

FFICE.

l ATENT HAT-FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 726,887, dated May 5, 1903. Application filed August 19, 1902. Serial No. 120,212. I (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it Wl/CI/y concern.-

Be it known that I, J QSEPH W. EDGERTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Island, in the county of Hall and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Hat-Fastener, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generallyto hat-fasteners, and particularly to that class adapted forpermanent connection with womens hats.

The objectof theinvention isina ready,simple, thoroughly feasible, and practical manner to secure a womans hat, whether soft or stiff, in position in such manner as positively to prevent its accidental removal; furthermore, to obviate liability of the hairof the wearer catching upon the fastener when the hat is removed; furthermore, to provide a neat, efficient, and durable hat fastener which may be associated with the hat in such manner as practically'tobe invisible.

With theseand other objects'in view, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction and combination of parts of a hat-fastener, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals of referen ce indicate corresponding parts, there are illustrated two forms of embodiment of the invention, each capable of carrying the same into practical operation, it being understood that the elements therein exhibited may be varied, or changed as to shape, proportion, and exact manner of assemblage without departing from thu spirit thereof. p

In the drawings, Figure 1 isa view'in perspective, exhibiting in dotted lines awomans hat with the device of this invention associated therewith. Fig. 2 is a view in transverse section through a hat of the so-ealled sailor style, exhibitingthe devicelpositioned thereon. Fig. 3 is aperspective detail view ofone form of fastener viewed from the inside, such as shown-in-positionin Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4. is a perspective View of a modified form of hat-fastener viewed from the inside.

Referring to the drawings,and particularly to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 thereof, there-is illusv hat, as shown in Fig. 2.

trated therein the simpler form of embodiment of the invention, which consists of a plate 1,eonstituting an attaching member, and a two-pronged pin 2, constituting a fastening member. The attaching member is provided at each end with a flange 3 and 4, respectively, which are bent at opposite angles to the body of the member, thus to adapt them to restagainst the outer side of the crown and the upper side of the rim of the The terminals of the flanges project laterally beyond the body of the member and are provided with openings 5, through which a needle and thread may be passed to secure the member to the hat. The

body portion of the attaching member is provided with two aproximatelycone-shaped guides 6, the larger ends of which when the member is positioned upon a hat, being disposed upward, the guides being engaged by the prongs of the fastening member 2. In addition to guiding the fastening member to locked or unlocked position the guides perform the further important function of housing the terminals 7 of the fastening member, which terminals are crooked to present stops to prevent separation from the guides when the fastening member is drawn to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The prongs of the fastening member are dis posed in parallel relation with each other and are curved longitudinally of: their length to conform as closely as possible to'the-contour of the head of the wearer, andeach prong adjacent-to'thebend 8-of'the member .is provided with an inward-extending kink onlooking-notch 9,. which by engaging with the smaller terminals. of-the guides operates to lock the fastening member in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, and thus against possibility of working loose and releasing the hat. While not herein shown, it is to be understood that the bond 8 may have an ornamental rosette or fancy head attached :to it,

or, if preferred, the fastening member 'may be composed of two separate elements secured to a suitable head. As the. above modifications will be readily understood, detailed illustration thereof is deemed unnecessary. By positioning thelocking-notches 9 adjacent to the bend 8 when the fastening member is V -in locked position the said bend will lie closely against the under side of the rim of the hat, and thus be out of sight. The angular disposition of the attaching members with relation to the crown and rim of the hat operates to cause the fastening members when pushed upward to secure the hat in position to bear upon the scalp of the wearer, and thus become firmly secured in the hair, the points of the prongs being blunt and rounded to prevent injury either to the hair or to the scalp.

In the simpler form of embodiment of my invention the cone-shaped guides provided on the attaching member permit a certain amount of pivotal movement of the fastening members within the guides. This pivotal movement is of advantage for two reasons first, because it permits the adjustment of the fastening members in the most convenient position on the head of the wearer of the hat, and it also permits a slight yielding with a sudden gust of wind without causing any disengagement of the fastening member and the attaching member from their locked relation. As is well known, the styles of arranging the hair adopted by women vary greatly, and all women would not wish to insert the fastening member into the hairat the same point, partly because a better hold is obtained if inserted into the hair at the point where the hair is most tightly drawn and partly because the insertion at some point might tend to disarrange the hair in an objectionable manner. It will therefore be seen that guideways permitting some pivotal movement of the fastening member in order to vary the direction of insertion into the hair is a matter of importance in devices of the class to which my invention belongs. The provision for some play of the fastening member within the guide member in order to allow the hat to yield slightly when struck by a gust of wind is a constructive feature of less importance, but is nevertheless of utility, for the reason that if no such slight yielding is provided for the sudden pulls upon the hair produced by gusts of wind striking the hat would not only cause the wearer more discomfort, but would also tend to disarrange the hair more than the same pulls upon the hair will do if the fastening member is permitted to yield slightly before the strain.

In the form of embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 4 four prongs are employed, the outer pair 10 of which are constructed in the same manner as those just described. The inner pair of prongs 11 are devoid of stops such as are employed by the prongs 10 and designated 12. The guides 13, in which the prongs 10 work, are cone-shaped for the same purpose as that defined for the guides 6, (shown in Fig. 3,) while the guides 14, in which the prongs 11 work, are straight and tubular. It will be obvious, of course, that, if preferred, the terminals of the prongs 11 may be provided with stops, in which case the guides 14 will be cone-shaped, and as this will be apparent detailed illustration is omitted. As shown in Fig. 4, the bends of the prongs 10 and 11 are associated by being twisted or interlinked, as at 15; but the particular manner of connection of these parts is immaterial and may be accomplished in any other manner than that shown.

In positioning the attaching members on a hat the fastening members are detached therefrom and the attaching members are secured to the hat in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, preferably by being sewed thereto, as before described, or in any other preferred manner. The terminals of the fastening members are then passed through the under side of the rim and into the guides and through the crown and the lining or sweat-band, if such be employed, and are then ready for use. By disposing the attaching members on the outer side of the crown and by the provision of the cone-shaped guides for receiving the stops of the terminals of the prongs it will be seen that when the fastening members are moved downward to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. l the terminals will be wholly withdrawn beyond the inner wall of the crown, and thereby positively obviate the presentation of obstructions or projections that would catch in the hair of the wearer. This same function obtains with relation to the form of device shown in Fig. 4, the additional prongs shown therein being employed to give added security to the device when in locked engagement with the'hair. Instead of having the bottom flange of the attaching member secured to the upper side of the rim it may be secured to the under side thereof by providing an incision to permit of its being passed therethrough, and as this will be obvious detailed illustration thereof is deemed unnecessary. When the said flange is thus positioned, the guides will be disposed on the under side of the rim and will be held at the angle necessary to insure proper operation of the fastening member.

The crimps or locking-notches 9 are of importance and constitute one of the salient features of the device, inasmuch as by interlocking with the inner walls of the guides a positive holding of the fastening members when locked in position is effected;

It will be understood that the functions described can be secured from a fastener having three prongs, or even a single prong, and these arrangements may be employed without departing from the scope of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A hat-fastener comprising an attaching member having a body portion provided on its under side with cone-shaped guides and at its ends with perforated flanges disposed at opposite angles to the body portion, and being adapted to bear respectively against the outer side of the crown and upper side of the brim of a hat when positioned thereon, and a fastening member consisting of two parallel non-spreading arms connected at one end and In testimony that I claim the foregoing-as having their free terminals provided with my own Ihave hereto affixed my signatureinlro stops adapted to coact with the smaller end the presence of two Witnesses. of the cone guides to prevent the'separationof the'parts, and provided at'their other ter- JOSEPH EDGERTON minals with kinks adapted to engage with the Witnesses: walls of the guides to hold the fastening Inem- J E. MONORIEF,

her in operative position. CAL FLETCHER. 

